Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 79991 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79991 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
He leads me downstairs, then out to the yard. An archway has been assembled, covered in flowers, and a white runner leads from the back door to the place where the minister now stands. He’s chatting with who I assume is Mrs. Alvarez, though I was not given the benefit of an introduction. She is petite and quiet, even a little spaced out. Is this what I have to look forward to? A shell of a woman sharing my bed?
Aside from that, guards are swarming the place, opposing sides eyeing each other, suspicious of one another. The tension in the air is enough to nauseate me, and for one moment, I almost wish my brother was here, if only to bulk up our side of things a bit, to appear stronger. Then again, I wouldn’t want him to witness any of this shit. I hardly want to witness it myself. It’s better for Christian to stay away. He can find out about this after the fact, along with the rest of the world.
At least Elena gets a sunny day for her wedding.
“Enzo, in these last few moments, I want to tell you how proud I am of you.” We approach the end of the runner together, his hand firm against my lower back. Is he guiding me or pushing me? I can’t tell. “You’re stepping up like a man and doing what needs to be done for the good of the family. I need you to remember that’s all that counts. That’s all that ever matters, family. Making sacrifices for them. I have a lifetime of sacrifices to look back on, and I don’t regret any of them. Even the ones that made me grit my teeth and shake my fist at God when the time came to make them.”
We come to a stop, and he turns to me, holding me by the arms, a look of fierce determination on his lined face. “My only wish, the only thing that matters to me in this life, is seeing you carry on the family name. That’s all I need, all I want. Nothing else matters.”
“That’s what I intend to do,” I reply since it’s clear that’s what he wants to hear. Yet there’s more to it, and I can’t pretend otherwise. I’ve never seen him like this, never heard him speak this way. Was he saving this speech for my wedding day, or is it off the cuff, a rare glimpse of emotion from an otherwise steely man? Whatever it is, I can’t help but be moved, especially when he treats me to an impulsive hug. We are not huggers. I can probably count on one hand the number of times the man has embraced me, most of those times being in the days after I came to live with him.
“I’m very proud of you,” he concludes. “I’m proud of the man you’ve become.”
“Thank you, Grandfather.” I can’t say my heart is much lighter as we fall in place beside the minister, but at least I remember now why I’m doing this. For my family. Whether they deserve it or not.
And maybe, just maybe, Elena and I can find a way through this together.
At least, that’s what I need to tell myself as I wait for her to join me.
27
ALICIA
There it went. My last chance of getting out of this mess walked out the door. Not that I think it would’ve mattered what I said in these final moments before we exchanged vows. Neither of us has a choice here.
It doesn’t matter how Enzo looked at me when he first entered the room or how electric the air was. I don’t care that the softness and warmth in his eyes and smile cracked my heart open so he could find a way inside. This is wrong. It isn’t what I want, and there’s no hope of us being happy. At least, I won’t be happy. I’m sure his life will go on however he wants it to, with no regard for what I want or need. Just because he was nice to me for a minute doesn’t mean he’d be a good husband or even a willing one.
I can’t let my heart run away from me. It will only hurt so much worse once the inevitable happens, and I’m left miserable, locked away forever while my husband makes the most of the deal our marriage cemented. I hope that wicked old man is happy with what he’s forcing us into.
Though there did seem to be a little bit of genuine tenderness when he came in. I’m not imagining it—I wouldn’t go out of my way to imagine a shred of humanity in a man who’d threaten to kill me if I don’t get pregnant right away. I saw it; I heard it. He was happy to see us together the way a grandfather should be. He looked genuinely proud when he set eyes on Enzo, like for a minute they were family and nothing more. I hope that makes Enzo feel good after all the grief the guy has put him through.